Windows 7: Installation problem

Another thing you can try is unplugging Win7 HD, boot XP Cd to Repair console, run

bootrec.exe /fixboot
bootrec.exe /fixmbr

Or run an XP Repair install on the drive to make it self booting again, which is signified by the System flag.

OK. Thanks. I'll try those suggestions.

The XP hdd still boots with the win7 hdd unplugged.

Didn't work. The "normal" xp install disk runs through the "loading files" part then throws up a BSOD and stops. I didn't get the error code, but I suppose it is because the drivers on that CD are different than the custom xp drivers actually installed. That's a guess.

Have not tried that yet, it will be the next thing.

Seems to me there is a big clue in the fact that the setup worked fine until I partitoned the xp hdd. I just don't know how to interpret it. That seems to indicate that the problem is in the win 7 machine's BIOS. But I didn't touch that.

If that is true, maybe I should do a reinstallation of win 7. You guys think so?

Theog, I ran bcdedit/enum and bcdedit/v from win 7 command prompt. Would those numbers help anything?

[QUOTE=login123;2522013]
NO, as Win XP can not boot from a Windows 7 HDD in UEFI mode.

Do you have any idea how to permanently set the machine's bios so that it doesn't always revert to just booting the win xp hdd?

Theog is correct that XP HD still holds its own System Flag. It should also be marked Active, so do that now in Disk Mgmt to see if it makes a difference.

The HD's should still be independently bootable as you set them up since nothing in the partitioning operations can really affect the other OS's ability to boot, only sometimes foul up the boot when resizing at the front of the HD on the boot sector - requiring Startup Repairs in Win7, or bootrec or Repair Install in XP.

It may be something unusual with the EFI install which is why what I would do is move completely to Legacy by reinstalling Win7 in Legacy mode to MBR drive by deleting all partiitons during reinstall or wiping the HD. You could unplug XP HD or keep it plugged in to see if Win7 will configure a Dual Boot menu.

OK, will do. Have to turn off the machine & plug win xp in & restart. If the machine goes straight to win xp, as I think it will, I'll restart w/ with the partwiz CD.
I will do that if necessary. What do you think of the idea to just reinstall from the factory disks, since that worked before? I know it isn't the legacy installation you suggested, but it did work? That would just be less nerve wracking for me, is all. :)

It's an inferior install, not even half as good as real Clean Installed Win7. It not only works, but better.

OK. That's a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.

This boot issue is fixed. Here is what worked.

- Deleted that extra partition, didn't help.
- Reinstalled win xp to HDD2, didn't help.
- Ran startup repair 3 or 4 times, it only helped until I booted win xp, then had to run it again to get to win 7.
- Did not move anything around in the boot menu, was afraid to.
- Reinstalled win 7 from the HP recovery partition. That fixed it.

Later created a new partition on the win xp HDD.
This time it is a primary partition, not a logical partition.
Now there are 2 partitions: C: = ~45 gb, D: = ~886 gb.

Now a normal boot with no user input goes to win 7.
Now it is again possible to boot either OS from the boot menu.

It took a while to sort through the information, but it is working now and I couldn't have done it without a lot of help from several forums.

Thanks again. :)